Eminem
It was back in 2000 when Eminem fever really began to seize the nation.
Marshall Bruce Mathers III - or Slim Shady - became a globally loved and loathed hip hop icon. A man who represented the underdog, the badboy, a rapper from the wrong side of the tracks who wasn't afraid to tell the listening world: 'I do pills - I don't do crack, I smoke weed.'
His debut album 'The Slim Shady LP' won a Grammy for best rap album and his follow up - 'The Marshall Mathers LP' - became the fastest selling rap album in history. He started his own label - Shady Records - and launched his group D12 into mainstream recognition. Both his second album and his third - 'The Eminem Show' - won Grammy's and his song 'Lose Yourself' - penned for the film 8 Mile - won an Academy Award for the Best Original Song.
His character in 8 Mile - Jimmy 'B-Rabbit' Smith Jr. - transparently echoed aspects of the star's own life - young, talented kid made good, white rapper cutting his teeth at battles, struggling for respect among his black peers. The 'trailer park' life he references in many of his raps was darkly portrayed in 8 Mile.
Eminem's relationship with ex-wife Kim and daughter Hailie features large in his music - particularly in the song 'Kim' which depicts her violent death. His private life has been dragged over the coals by the press. In 2005 he went on a hiatus - with many insiders speculating that he was consisdering ending his rapping career. He didn't. 'Relapse' and 'Relapse 2' followed fourth album 'Encore' and were released in early 2009.
Marshall Bruce Mathers III - or Slim Shady - became a globally loved and loathed hip hop icon. A man who represented the underdog, the badboy, a rapper from the wrong side of the tracks who wasn't afraid to tell the listening world: 'I do pills - I don't do crack, I smoke weed.'
His debut album 'The Slim Shady LP' won a Grammy for best rap album and his follow up - 'The Marshall Mathers LP' - became the fastest selling rap album in history. He started his own label - Shady Records - and launched his group D12 into mainstream recognition. Both his second album and his third - 'The Eminem Show' - won Grammy's and his song 'Lose Yourself' - penned for the film 8 Mile - won an Academy Award for the Best Original Song.
His character in 8 Mile - Jimmy 'B-Rabbit' Smith Jr. - transparently echoed aspects of the star's own life - young, talented kid made good, white rapper cutting his teeth at battles, struggling for respect among his black peers. The 'trailer park' life he references in many of his raps was darkly portrayed in 8 Mile.
Eminem's relationship with ex-wife Kim and daughter Hailie features large in his music - particularly in the song 'Kim' which depicts her violent death. His private life has been dragged over the coals by the press. In 2005 he went on a hiatus - with many insiders speculating that he was consisdering ending his rapping career. He didn't. 'Relapse' and 'Relapse 2' followed fourth album 'Encore' and were released in early 2009.
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Comments
Lowri
Wednesday, 06 May
Single Reviews: 11 May
Eminem - We Made You
Interscope Records
'I'll admit it now. I was gripped by Eminem fever with the best of them. The circus which surrounded his brazen raps (about killing his ex-wife and abusing celebrities) was brilliant. And then, it got boring. Hands up who stopped following after 'The Eminem Show?'
Well, in his own words, 'Guess who's back?' and this song's alright. He's his old, frank self chatting about Ritalin binges and nailing Sarah Palin. Jessica Simpson sings on the chorus, but even so it manages to be both funny and catchy. 3.5/5'
Eminem - We Made You
Interscope Records
'I'll admit it now. I was gripped by Eminem fever with the best of them. The circus which surrounded his brazen raps (about killing his ex-wife and abusing celebrities) was brilliant. And then, it got boring. Hands up who stopped following after 'The Eminem Show?'
Well, in his own words, 'Guess who's back?' and this song's alright. He's his old, frank self chatting about Ritalin binges and nailing Sarah Palin. Jessica Simpson sings on the chorus, but even so it manages to be both funny and catchy. 3.5/5'
Joe Harrod
Monday, 10 August
Single Reviews: 3rd August 2009
Eminem – Beautiful
Polydor
Eminem has his 'Streets of Philadelphia' moment - a homage to his hometown, once-proud Detroit. Problem is, while Springsteen sings about the American condition, poor ol' Shady can't help bringing back everything to himself.
With a rocking sample from Paul Rodgers, Eminem kicks off 'I'm just so fucking depressed' but proceeds to celebrate enduring spirit and beauty in a grimy, difficult life. It should be a credit crunch anthem but the guy is so far out of the trailer park he's rapping about the pitfalls of sycophantic butlers. 2.5/5
Eminem – Beautiful
Polydor
Eminem has his 'Streets of Philadelphia' moment - a homage to his hometown, once-proud Detroit. Problem is, while Springsteen sings about the American condition, poor ol' Shady can't help bringing back everything to himself.
With a rocking sample from Paul Rodgers, Eminem kicks off 'I'm just so fucking depressed' but proceeds to celebrate enduring spirit and beauty in a grimy, difficult life. It should be a credit crunch anthem but the guy is so far out of the trailer park he's rapping about the pitfalls of sycophantic butlers. 2.5/5
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